Chapter Number 29 (Jeff)
Brief description of the plot:
Jurgis attends a Socialist activist meeting. By the end of the meeting, Jurgis has been completely transformed, and feels as if "e had been torn out of the jaws of destruction, he had been delivered from the thraldom of despair; the whole world had been changed for him—he was free, he was free!" He tries to go talk to the Socialist speaker, but instead ends up talking to Ostrinski, a Lithuanian speeking, Polish Socialist. They both talk of how important Socialism is, and the dreams they have for showing the importance of Socialism. Finally, Jurgis mentions how he has no place to stay, and Ostrinski invites Jurgis to sleep on the kitchen floor at his house, remarking that "You have been through the mill, comrade...We will make a fighter out of you." The chapter starts to end with the analogy of Jurgis to a hog, in that both Jurgis and a hog were exploited by a more powerful being for their profit and then cast aside. It finally ends with the lists of the various downsides of Capitalism that Jurgis is able to find. Characters in the Chapter:
Jurgis, Comrade Ostrinski, Unnamed Socialist Activist Notable passages (including page number):
Pg 309 - "He had never been so stirred in his life—it was a miracle that had been wrought in him. He could not think at all, he was stunned; yet he knew that in the mighty upheaval that had taken place in his soul, a new man had been born. He had been torn out of the jaws of destruction, he had been delivered from the thraldom of despair; the whole world had been changed for him—he was free, he was free! Even if he were to suffer as he had before, even if he were to beg and starve, nothing would be the same to him; he would understand it, and bear it. He would no longer be the sport of circumstances, he would be a man, with a will and a purpose; he would have something to fight for, something to die for, if need be! Here were men who would show him and help him; and he would have friends and allies, he would dwell in the sight of justice, and walk arm in arm with power." The importance of this passage is fairly obvious. It is as if Jurgis has found a new way to view life. For the first time, he has a positive attitude towards life.
Pg 313 - "Every Socialist did his share, and lived upon the vision of the "good time coming,"—when the working class should go to the polls and seize the powers of government, and put an end to private property in the means of production. No matter how poor a man was, or how much he suffered, he could never be really unhappy while he knew of that future; even if he did not live to see it himself, his children would, and, to a Socialist, the victory of his class was his victory." This passage again shwos Jurgis' hope for a better future, a hope which he will get to by the means of Socialism.
Pg 317 - "It was long after midnight when Jurgis lay down upon the floor of Ostrinski's kitchen; and yet it was an hour before he could get to sleep, for the glory of that joyful vision of the people of Packingtown marching in and taking possession of the Union Stockyards!" This shows how much Socialism is taking over his life. Before the discovery of Socialism, Jurgis had nothing to cling on to. After the discovery, he is holding on, and holding on tight. He does not want to let this rare good feeling of hope, companionship, and a better future, to fade away.
Brief description of the plot:
Jurgis attends a Socialist activist meeting. By the end of the meeting, Jurgis has been completely transformed, and feels as if "e had been torn out of the jaws of destruction, he had been delivered from the thraldom of despair; the whole world had been changed for him—he was free, he was free!" He tries to go talk to the Socialist speaker, but instead ends up talking to Ostrinski, a Lithuanian speeking, Polish Socialist. They both talk of how important Socialism is, and the dreams they have for showing the importance of Socialism. Finally, Jurgis mentions how he has no place to stay, and Ostrinski invites Jurgis to sleep on the kitchen floor at his house, remarking that "You have been through the mill, comrade...We will make a fighter out of you." The chapter starts to end with the analogy of Jurgis to a hog, in that both Jurgis and a hog were exploited by a more powerful being for their profit and then cast aside. It finally ends with the lists of the various downsides of Capitalism that Jurgis is able to find.
Characters in the Chapter:
Jurgis, Comrade Ostrinski, Unnamed Socialist Activist
Notable passages (including page number):
Pg 309 - "He had never been so stirred in his life—it was a miracle that had been wrought in him. He could not think at all, he was stunned; yet he knew that in the mighty upheaval that had taken place in his soul, a new man had been born. He had been torn out of the jaws of destruction, he had been delivered from the thraldom of despair; the whole world had been changed for him—he was free, he was free! Even if he were to suffer as he had before, even if he were to beg and starve, nothing would be the same to him; he would understand it, and bear it. He would no longer be the sport of circumstances, he would be a man, with a will and a purpose; he would have something to fight for, something to die for, if need be! Here were men who would show him and help him; and he would have friends and allies, he would dwell in the sight of justice, and walk arm in arm with power." The importance of this passage is fairly obvious. It is as if Jurgis has found a new way to view life. For the first time, he has a positive attitude towards life.
Pg 313 - "Every Socialist did his share, and lived upon the vision of the "good time coming,"—when the working class should go to the polls and seize the powers of government, and put an end to private property in the means of production. No matter how poor a man was, or how much he suffered, he could never be really unhappy while he knew of that future; even if he did not live to see it himself, his children would, and, to a Socialist, the victory of his class was his victory." This passage again shwos Jurgis' hope for a better future, a hope which he will get to by the means of Socialism.
Pg 317 - "It was long after midnight when Jurgis lay down upon the floor of Ostrinski's kitchen; and yet it was an hour before he could get to sleep, for the glory of that joyful vision of the people of Packingtown marching in and taking possession of the Union Stockyards!" This shows how much Socialism is taking over his life. Before the discovery of Socialism, Jurgis had nothing to cling on to. After the discovery, he is holding on, and holding on tight. He does not want to let this rare good feeling of hope, companionship, and a better future, to fade away.